MovieChat Forums > 88 Minutes (2008) Discussion > What's with the cookies?

What's with the cookies?

posted 16 years ago by tabbycat
6 replies | jump to latest

Early on, Jack goes into a conference with the FBI and a plate of cookies. They're from Janie Cates, who's sis was murdered. "Anybody want a cookie?" No one does. He tries foisting. A guy takes one, but doesn't eat it. "Milk, anyone?" No one wants milk. Jack has the "milk maid" bring three glasses. They might change their minds. No one does.

At one point it seems like maybe Jack is chewing. But we never see him actually eat a cookie.

And the point of all this was . . . what, exactly? A red herring, to make us wonder if the cookies were poisoned? Why was Jack so invested in having everyone eat cookies?

If the former, pretty lousy writing. There's no poison I know of that takes exactly 88 minutes to work, and then kills instantly.

[–] Joker-26 16 years ago

You might be right on the poison thing but when I saw it first, I thought he was offering the milk to the young agent to go with his cookies as if he was treating him as a kid. Maybe Gramm felt a little annoyed that this guy was standing in the conference room before he came in. I figured the older agents realised what Gramm was trying to do and declined the milk and cookies.

[–] tabbycat 16 years ago

I think you're dead right.

So it was actually exposition of Gramm's arrogance.
It didn't play for me so I couldn't understand why the agents were so annoyed at his offering.

[–] Gobbles96818 16 years ago

Good on both of you for figuring it out. To me, this was the goofiest scene in the movie, as Pacino was so adament about everyone having milk and cookies. The scene was so labored and seemingly didn't end. Will someone just eat the damn cookies?

[–] schumithecat 15 years ago

I agree he was treating the young agent like a little kid. the poison angle makes no sense but in this movie little does.

[–] asam-3 16 years ago

hhh

[–] sikexl 16 years ago

I figured it was just a mind game of some sort, his way of being in control.